One of the most common uses of the Internet is to conduct searches. A user can access a web page of a particular search engine, enter a query, and receive a list of results relating to the query. The results can include links to text, audio or video files. The results are presented in a particular order. The order of the results can be based on a variety of factors.
Some entities provide an online help system for their products or services that incorporates a search engine as part of the online help system. Within this online help system, a user can perform a search that will help address a question or a problem a user may be encountering.
For example, a user might use an online help system to search for help regarding a particular option in a software application. The user enters his or her query within the online help system for the application and is presented with a list of search results pertaining to their query. The user can then navigate to a particular result of interest and view the content identified in the search results list. Once the user is finished reviewing the item selected from the search results list, the user can return to the search results list (for example by clicking on the “back” button on their web browser). In standard Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML) pages, if a user returns to a search results list, a previously visited link is highlighted in a different color to represent the item has been previously viewed by the user.
Within the search results list, the user can see comments (including a rating) that have been provided about the particular result. In some instances, the comments and rating a may be used to prioritize a result within the search results list.